Bathroom Design Ideas

We all love a pristine new bathroom – gleaming taps, shiny new bath, elegant tiling, clean white grout, soft fluffy towels. Sadly, in reality, our bathrooms tend not to look like that unless we have recently moved house to a new build. The taps have limescale staining, the grout is starting to discolour and the sanitary ware and tiling is no longer gleaming. But it doesn’t have to be like that – refurbishing your bathroom is a relatively inexpensive job providing you don’t have to move pipework, and if you are on a really tight budget then you can give it a facelift that will transform it – what are you waiting for?

Preparing to Tile Your Bathroom

Tiles on both the walls and floors are the most practical solution in any bathroom – they are hard-wearing and waterproof – but more than that they are also a beautiful element in any design scheme. Wall tiles and floor tiles come in an enormous variety of styles, sizes, colours and textures and can be used in a variety of layout patterns to give your bathroom a unique look.

Unlike the plumbing required when refurbishing your bathroom, installing tiling is a task that you can do yourself if you are fairly competent at DIY (or know someone else who is). All you need are a few special tools and the correct adhesive and grout for the tiles of your choice. The type of adhesive will depend on the surface to which the tiles are being applied and, naturally, on the tiles themselves, whether they are ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles or natural stone tiles. Your tile supplier can advise on the most appropriate adhesive.

The grout you will need is dependent on the width of your grout joints between each tile and whether it needs to be waterproof. Wet rooms will always require waterproof grout but in a regular bathroom only the shower area needs grout that is waterproof.

And as far as tools are concerned the following are essential items:

– Tile saw

– Spirit level

– Tile cutter (for cutting tiles around curved shapes)

– Wooden guide batten (to align wall tiles horizontally)

– Tile spacers (small plastic items to ensure even joint widths)

– Tile nibblers (pliers for shaping tiles around awkward shapes such as pipes)

– Grout spreader

– Adhesive spreader

You are now ready to start preparing the surfaces for installing the tiles. Every surface to be tiled needs to be thoroughly cleaned and dried. Remnants of wallpaper or paint should be removed where possible or sanded down to remove any loose scraps. Large cracks need to be filled and then sanded smooth and any noticeable dips in the surface need to be filled to make it level. Similarly any large raised areas need to be sanded down to ensure the tiles can lie flat on the surface. If you don’t prepare the surface well then the tiles will not be level and will not stick properly to the walls or floor.

If you are fortunate enough to be tiling onto new, bare plaster then there is less preparation to do but it is necessary to apply a primer first to seal the plaster and prevent the tile adhesive from soaking into the plaster and preventing good adhesion.

Once all the preparation has been done you are ready to begin marking out your tile layout.

Discover The Best Way to Layout Bathroom Wall Tiles

Sticking tile adhesive on the back of a tile and fixing it to the wall is a relatively easy task as part of refurbishing your bathroom if you have prepared the surface properly and chosen the right adhesive but there’s more to tiling a wall than simply sticking the tiles on. To get a really professional look you need to make sure that you fix the tiles in the right position – you don’t want to end up with a narrow strip of tile at the ceiling, or worse, just above the bath where you will notice it every day.

So what do you need to do to decide on the best position for your tiles?

It’s not difficult – just start by marking a horizontal line all around the middle of the room with a pencil and spirit level an equal distance from the floor and ceiling. Now check where that line lies in relation to the sink, bath, window and any other obstructions that will break the tiling line. There are no hard and fast rules about which level is best because tiles come in so many different sizes – you simply want to avoid ending up with very narrow strips of tile anywhere in the room if possible but especially where they will be noticeable.

Measure downwards from your central line until you reach the bath and work out how many tile heights that will be not forgetting to allow 2-3mm for the grout joints). If it leaves less than half a tile immediately above the bath then move your central line up until at least half a tile sites just above the bath. Now measure in tile heights above the new central line up to the ceiling – depending on the height of the tile section left at ceiling height you may have to play around with your central line until a good compromise is achieved – just remember that narrow sections are less noticeable at ceiling height so if you do have to compromise do so away from direct sightlines.

In the same way mark your vertical guideline in the centre of the largest wall and adjust through trial-and-error to ensure that the corner you see as you first come into the room has full tiles either side, if possible, and that all other corners have at least half a tile width on each side. This is not always as easy as it sounds but take the time and trouble to get the layout right before you start tiling and the end result will be perfect.

And for inspiration take a look at this favourite pic of ours achieved with bright mosaic tiles and large porcelain tiles for a simple but highly effective design.

If you have any tips and tricks that you have used to get a prefect tiling layout in an awkward space like a bathroom why not let us know in the comments section below.

Don’t Forget

It doesn’t have to cost the Earth to revamp your bathroom – look out for ends-of-lines or discontinued stock for tiling and ex-display models for that luxury bath. Plenty of opportunities to keep the cost down…

Some Inspirational Photos – Ideas for bathrooms of all shapes and sizes

      Classic attic bathroom with mosaic tiling

Sometimes you simply need to see an image and you know that is the bathroom that you want. These are some of my favourite inspirational images…

Luxury Stone Bath from Castello Baths

Simply Beautiful Tiles

These tiles are so unusual they would make a great design statement even in the smallest bathroom. They are manufactured by the Italian company Evit (Everstone in Australia) who make a range of unusual shaped tiles.

More Inspirational Tiles from Evit

More Inspirational Tiles from Evit

I want this bathroom

Perhaps I could turn the spare bedroom into my new bathroom… Just a thought

Small but perfectly formed

A beautiful bathroom for a realistically sized space

Dream Bathroom

Imagine having a light fitting like that in your bathroom!

Masculine Bathroom

I like this but wondering if it is a little too austere? What do you think?

A Bathroom With A View

The ultimate in relaxing bathing

Choosing the perfect tiles for your home

There are certain places in the home where tiles on either the walls, floors or both, are the perfect solution. They look great and are hardwearing – outlasting almost any other form of wall or floor covering. Whilst more expensive as an initial outlay, they are a better investment by far than say wallpaper or carpet, both of which will wear much sooner, become dirtier and be harder to get clean. Tiles, on the other hand, are durable and easy to keep clean – many types, such as porcelain tiles, requiring minimal maintenance.

So tiles in general are the perfect solution for a bathroom, kitchen, hallway or conservatory but how do you select the perfect tile to suit your home – here are some essential considerations to help you do just that.

COLOUR

With such a huge variety of colours available in all sorts of tiles it is difficult to say which would be the right colour for a particular home. Current trends will always play a part in any decision but beyond that it really is just personal choice. However, there are some basic considerations that will always be true of certain colours:

* Pale or neutral tiles will make a room look bigger

* Dark tiles will make a room look smaller but are excellent for hiding the dirt in high-traffic areas such as hallways

* Using matching floor and wall tiles will make a room look bigger

* For a contemporary look choose large, highly polished tiles

* If you love bold colours but are not brave enough to tile a whole room in, say, lime green, then use the colour as a border surrounded by neutral or large white

SIZE

The perfect size of tile for your project will be influenced by the size of the room itself. Very large tiles, whilst great on large expanses of floor, will require too much cutting to look good in a tiny bathroom. Using smaller tiles in small areas will actually make the space look bigger. But don’t be afraid to mix tiles sizes – using large ones where suitable and smaller ones, including mosaics. in feature areas. When choosing the size of tile always consider the amount of cutting that will be required – even for a professional tiler it can be difficult to cut a tile accurately around awkward shapes.

TYPE

This is the area where we are most likely to be influenced by price because there is such a range of prices depending on the type of tile, with natural stone being the most expensive so you need to think carefully about you budget before choosing your tile type. The main tiles materials are:

Natural Stone

The ultimate in luxury whether you choose granite, marble, limestone or any of the host of other natural stones made into tiles. But they are expensive and some types also require regular maintenance and occasional sealing to retain their good looks so think carefully before investing in natural stone tiles.

Ceramic

One of the most common and versatile types of tiles; they come in a range of colours, textures and designs and sizes, including very large tiles and small mosaics, and are a really good cost-effective choice.

Porcelain

Porcelain tiles are hardwearing and easy to maintain. Because of their hardness they can also be made in very large sizes up to 1.2 metres square and sometimes larger. They are also produced in contemporary designs such as gloss white and very beautiful natural stone effects.

So these are some of the factors to take into consideration when choosing the perfect tiles for your home but remember that everyone’s idea of perfection is different so always trust your instincts and choose what you like.

What started with a bathroom re-design has turned into a whole house refurbishment

Once I had finished the bathroom everything else in the house looked a little tired. It had seemed fine before but there is nothing like a shiny new bathroom to make you dis-satisfied with the rest of your home. So, starting with the bathroom I installed some new technology, installing a high-end waterproof TV from ProofVision in my bathroom. But don’t get me wrong, I love my house for so many reasons: the sunny south facing garden, the spacious living room with a lovely view over said garden, the fact that there are enough loos for every member of the household (got to think of the practicalities) and that I can walk a quarter of a mile eastwards and be in open country or half a mile westwards and be in town.

But still the place was in need of a makeover so I will try and record how I am getting along as best I can…

I’m sure there are plenty of people out there with tips about re-designing a new bathroom, success stories or even failures – let us know…

The post Top Tips and Inspiration for Refurbishing Your Bathroom appeared first on Twits Guides.

We’re all feeling the pinch these days, and with a relatively volatile housing market in the UK, many homeowners are choosing to improve their existing properties rather than go through the hassle of selling their current home and the expense of buying a new home. Updating a bathroom when you’re short on cash can be done – just follow these excellent tips for getting that fresh look and feel without breaking the bank.

Updating a bathroom at minimal cost:

• Refresh before you invest – Sometimes your bathroom just looks dull and grimy because, well actually, it is simply dirty. Get your rubber gloves and strong cleaning fluids out and give the place a really thorough scrub down, concentrating particularly on the grout between your porcelain tiles and the areas around your sink and bath. Thick bleach can work wonders on discoloured grout, but caulk and grout are very inexpensive to buy, so consider re-grouting your wall and floor tiles if they cannot be cleaned to rid your room of those unsightly black lines and you might just be surprised by how fresh and new the place can look without the expense of replacing the ceramic tiles.
• Paint it fresh – Adding a lick of paint to a tired, grubby bathroom that has seen better days can work wonders for the atmosphere and look. For a great contemporary look, choose a bright colour for a feature wall and buy new towels and accessories to match the bold colour, or go for a funky wall covering on one wall with a neutral paint colour in the rest of the space.
• Accessorise to bring it alive – Investing in new accessories is one of the most cost effective of all ways to bring back to life an otherwise boring, dated bathroom. Going for bold colours for the towels, soap dish, mats and tumblers will add a splash of modern brilliance and make it feel like a brand new space. Try adding bright silk flowers to further enhance the look or a new blind if your budget will stretch that far.
• See the light – Consider a new way of lighting your bathroom. If you currently have an outdated ceiling light, consider replacing this with a halogen spotlight bar for an instant, modern look. The brighter light will make the bathroom feel cleaner and is one of the best wasy of updating a bathroom, and if you angle the spots artistically you could use them to pick out particular features you are proud of, such as window decorations or pictures.
• Go with what you have – If you are stuck with an outdated bathroom suite in a horrible shade of avocado or peach, then rather than fighting it, why not go with it? Coloured bathroom suites are right out of fashion at the moment, but if you work with the pallet you have when you are painting or papering the walls you could really bring it all together in a more modern way. Most bath panels can be customised with vinyl or acrylics, so consider making a feature of what you have to, perhaps not bring it bang up to date, but at least make it quirky on a budget.

The post Tips for updating a bathroom on a budget appeared first on Twits Guides.

When considering a bathroom makeover, one of the advantages is that you can use more up-to-date technology to make using your bathroom more practical and enjoyable as well as getting a great new look without the expense of moving house. Some changes to a bathroom are cosmetic – a toilet is a toilet after all – but others can make a real difference to how you use you space. A deep luxurious bath or a state-of-the-art power shower can completely change your bathing experience.

But, in cold climates, perhaps one of the most luxurious aspects of a new bathroom is to install underfloor heating. Those who live in a warm climate probably find it hard to understand why underfloor heating could be considered such a luxury, but those who live in colder climes know what it is like to step onto those freezing cold porcelain tiles in the early morning having just emerged from a warm bed – it is not a pleasant experience.

And yet we all love tiled floors in our bathrooms – they are beautiful and hygienic because tiles are so easy to keep clean.

Traditional radiators in bathrooms often will simply not be able to heat porcelain or ceramic tiles to a comfortable temperature but underfloor heating can heat the floor and the room. There are two main types of underfloor heating: Electric and Wet (piped).

Electric underfloor heating is best suited to existing bathrooms and homes as it can be installed retrospectively with the minimum of fuss and mess because it is installed on top of the sub-floor. A qualified electrician can easily install this type of heating and it is efficient and easily controlled via a thermostat and timer. As with most electric heating it is likely to be more expensive to run than an underfloor system that is part of a central heating system powered by oil or gas, but is still a good option for those who either do not have the budget or do not want the upheaval of channelling pipework under their bathroom floor.

A wet underfloor heating system supplies heat to your tiled floor through a series of pipes containing hot water in much the same way as a traditional central heating system that uses radiators and is powered by natural gas (or oil in certain areas) and is usually connected up to the main heating system in the home. It is more difficult to install in existing bathrooms because the pipes need to be laid level with, or under, the sub-floor, which can mean channelling out space for the pipes in a concrete screeded floor or can involve removing floorboards to lay the pipes underneath. A professional plumber will be needed to complete such a job, especially if existing radiator pipes are to be cut and extended into the underfloor pipes.

Although this method is more difficult to install in an existing bathroom, it is less expensive to run and easier to control. In a new build home this would be the best underfloor heating option as the hassle of removing or altering existing floors would not come into the equation.

But whatever type of underfloor heating you decide to install, whether under natural stone, porcelain tiles or ceramic tiles you are certain to enjoy the luxury of walking barefoot on warm tiles at any time of the year.

The post The Luxury of Heating Under a Tiled Floor appeared first on Twits Guides.

Plain, neutral ceramic or porcelain tiles create the perfect backdrop to highlight a well-designed kitchen or bathroom in your new home. They work well with furniture and fittings of every style from traditional to ultra-contemporary, but sometimes they are just too plain. And because tiles are a hard material sometimes they need something to soften the look of a large expanse of plain tiled wall or floor but in the rooms that are typically tiled, such as bathrooms and kitchens, it is not usually practical to use soft furnishings to soften the look as might be done in a living room or bedroom.

So, what is the solution?

Why not use small tiles in a different colour or texture as accent tiles to lift the design of your room and prevent it from looking too bland? This is a great way to create a unique tiling pattern without too much risk of going “over-the-top”. A cost-effective way of introducing the uniqueness of natural stone to your floor or walls, without the disadvantages of maintaining natural stone tiles, is to use natural stone mosaics as a horizontal border, vertical panel or bath surround whilst the rest of the room is tiled in complementary but less expensive ceramic or porcelain tiles.

Although accent tiles can be used in this way to introduce texture and uniqueness they are perhaps more typically used to inject colour into a neutral space. Mosaic tiles, particularly in glass or metal, or pencil tiles are perfect for this. And remember that accent tiles do not have to be used as simple horizontal borders. Pencil tiles can be used to define interesting architectural details and colourful mosaics can be used in larger areas such as the bath surround or kitchen splashback. If you are daring or have the help of someone with a good eye for detail use a vertical panel of mosaic tiles to highlight a particular feature of your bathroom such as a designer basin.

Another way of adding an interesting and individual element to your neutral bathroom or kitchen tiling is by using hand-painted ethnic tiles such as Moroccan or Armenian tiles to emphasise the particular style of your room. For example you may not be ready for a full-on hammam-style bathroom but may want to create a Moroccan feel. This can easily be done by selecting some suitable accessories such as a brass coffee pot or even a copper basin then placing a few exotic Moroccan patterned tiles to highlight your special pieces.

Many of these exotic tiles have very bold patterns so actually look better when they are only covering small areas such as the kitchen splashback area, above basins or in alcoves but this also helps to make it a more cost-effective solution because individual patterned tiles can be very expensive. Depending on the size and layout of your room six tiles in two rows of three or nine tiles in three rows of three should be plenty to create an impact without breaking the bank. Remember that, unlike glazed ceramic tiles or porcelain tiles, many decorative tiles will need to be sealed and maintained more carefully than the surrounding tiles.

The post Using Accent Tiles to Revamp Your Kitchen or Bathroom appeared first on Twits Guides.